News Releases

Ecumenical Prayer Services and Events to be Held During the Week of January 18-25, 2017

Chicago, IL (January 19, 2017) – Parishes of the Archdiocese of Chicago, working in cooperation with the Archdiocesan Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, will join with other Christian denominations in ecumenical celebrations during the National Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, beginning Wednesday, January 18. In addition to prayer at individual churches, ecumenical services and events will be hosted throughout Chicago and the metropolitan area. Begun in 1908, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated annually between the Feast of St. Peter's Chair on January 18, and the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on January 25, in cities and towns across the country and around the world.

The following is a list of local events open to the public:

Sunday, January 22 – 3 p.m. John 17 Fellowship, an ecumenical partnership formed by three neighboring northwest suburbs Christian churches, will jointly host an Ecumenical Prayer Service at St. Isaac Jogues Parish, 8149 W. Golf Rd., Niles. Participating churches in the John 17 Fellowship include Messiah Lutheran Church, Park Ridge; Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Glenview; and St. Isaac Jogues. A reception will follow the service. For more information, please contact St. Isaac Jogues Parish at 847.967.1060.

Tuesday, January 24 – 9:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Church Women United of Greater Chicago and the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women will host their Annual Christian Unity Prayer Breakfast at the Oak Lawn Hilton, 9333 S. Cicero Ave., Oak Lawn, on Tuesday, January 24, beginning at 9:15 a.m. For more information and to purchase tickets online, please visit: www.accwchicago.org.

St. Norbert Parish, 1817 Walters Ave., Northbrook, is the host church for a Week of Prayer observance beginning at 7 p.m. Churches co-sponsoring the event include: St. Giles Episcopal Church, Lakeview Covenant Church, Northbrook Covenant Church, Gloria dei Evangelical Lutheran Church, Village Presbyterian Church, Northbrook United Methodist Church, Northbrook Seventh Day Adventist Church, and Our Lady of the Brook Catholic Church, all in Northbrook and Northfield United Methodist Church in Northfield.

Thursday, January 26 – 7:30 p.m. A coalition of Christian churches in Evanston Township will sponsor an Ecumenical Prayer Service. This annual service has evolved into an Evanston tradition during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Immanuel Lutheran Church, 616 Lake St., Evanston, will host this years’ service. Additional Evanston sponsoring churches include: St. Mary Catholic Church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, and St. Nicholas Catholic Church.

Saturday, January 28 – 7 p.m. The Midwest Focolare Movement and ACT 3 Ministries will host an Ecumenical Prayer Service at Gary United Methodist Church, 224 N. Main St., Wheaton. This years’ service marks the third year that the two organizations have jointly sponsored a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity celebration. For additional information, please contact: midwest@focolare.us.

Ecumenical Book Club Discussion St. Raymond de Penafort Parish and St. Mark Lutheran Church, both in Mt. Prospect, will host an ecumenical book discussion on: “One Hope: Re-Membering the Body of Christ.” This ecumenical resource was designed to help Lutheran and Catholic communities mark the approaching 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Three discussions will be held on February 12, 19, and 26, from 3 to 5 p.m., at St. Raymond de Penafort, 301 S. I-Oka Ave.